Former All Black, Napier Boys’ High School old boy and Waipukurau HSOB player, Robbie Stuart will be inducted into the Central Hawke’s Bay Sports Hall of Fame at this year’s Sports Awards.

Stuart who made his international debut for New Zealand nearly 41 years to the day will be recognised by the Central Hawke’s Bay sporting public at the annual Central Hawke’s Bay Sports Awards on Friday 2^nd November at the AW Parsons Centre.

Though mostly a lock in his long career Stuart could play usefully as a prop and this versatility was a factor in his gaining on that tour his one test cap. To cover lock and prop he was named in the reserves for the first test against France in Toulouse and when Gary Knight was forced from the field, blinded by an eye gouge by his opposing prop Gerard Cholley, Stuart took his place.

Stuart played a total of 6 games for the All Blacks on the 1977 tour to Europe. Of this he captained two games against a French Selection in Perpignan and Angouleme.

The former lock was a highly successful captain for the province, his leadership qualities recognised with his higher honours with the national side. Making his debut for the province in 1967 (while only 19), Stuart was named as one of the five promising players of the year by the Rugby Almanack.

The Central Design and Print sponsored category have recognised top sportswomen and men with recent inductees including former All Black Norm Hewitt (2014), equestrian legend Tiny White (2015), 1972 Olympian Tony Polhill (2016) and former Black Fern and current Hawke’s Bay Tui Emma Jensen (2017).

Between 1967 and 1971 Stuart played only 18 times for the Bay and it was not until 1972 that he began to be a regular selection. By the 1980 season, his last in first class rugby, Stuart had amassed 119 matches for the province and even then he had missed all of the 1973 season.

After his retirement as a player Stuart soon turned to coaching and in 1984-85 had a spell as Hawke's Bay selector-coach.

CDP Print have supported both the awards and the category for a number of years. Director Bruce Moran says “Central Design & Print have had great pride with being involved in the sports awards over the last 23 years. Myself with starting the awards and now my daughter Paula who took over after my 20^th year.”

Article from Sport Hawke's Bay